Professionalism and craftsmanship.
The commedia dell’arte, from the beating of the mask to the dramaturgical definition of the characters
This is an institutional project of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome – BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) ERASMUS + conceived and directed by Marcello Gallucci, with CLAUDIA CONTIN ARLECCHINO and LUCA FANTINUTTI, with the friendly and indispensable collaboration of Professors Alessandro Zicoschi, Emanuela Trixie Zitkowski and Claudia Federici, and the cheerful complicity of Profs. Fakiye Özsoysal and Metin Balay.
Participants:
Academy of Fine Arts in Frosinone
Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
ESAD in Seville, Spain
EDI of Murcia, Spain
The subtitle of the workshop aims to draw attention to an internal process of the Commedia dell’Arte in all its forms, even if it is often overlooked. From the early days of coming together and organising themselves to produce performances, to the establishment of permanent theatres in the golden age of Riccoboni’s Paris, and on to the decline in the 19th century, the Commedia dell’Arte actors combined the extraordinary skill of their performing art and the exceptional quality of the “improvised” dramaturgy that characterised the genre with the ability to organise themselves independently, creating all the material resources necessary for their performances themselves. While a moving and still recent film (The Adventures of Captain Fracasse, by Ettore Scola, 1990) gave us a detailed and accurate depiction of what was plausibly the “travelling home” of the comedians, and the design of the costumes for the main characters is defined with increasing precision. However, the “mask” remains, essentially, a separate story and difficult to investigate. For the most part, the related issues are resolved by invoking a contrived “collaboration” between actors and professional “mask-makers” to justify the evolution of the masks and the clarification of the different types.
However, this interpretation has an objective limit in terms of its applicability: while it is true that the guild of mask-makers had been active in Venice since as early as 1436, specialising in the production of masks for court performances and for the carnival, the creation of a “mask” for a professional actor is such a personal matter that it cannot be delegated to others under any circumstances. It is as if to say that an actor puts his face into the mask…
In their analytical project on commedia dell’arte, CLAUDIA CONTIN ARLECCHINO and LUCA FANTINUTTI reconstructed the methods used to design and create traditional masks. They not only explored the symbolic universe of archetypes but also, with an analytical depth that encompasses both Eastern and Western theatre, identified the constants and adjustments of the expressive lines, the evolution of which (in the author’s view) guides and influences the development of the genre and its associated dramaturgy.
Together with CLAUDIA CONTIN ARLECCHINO and LUCA FANTINUTTI, an exceptional exponent of the great craft of theatre and film, EZIO FLAMMIA, will enable us to explore the new possibilities for recreation offered by an ancient technology, but one that he has revisited with the precision of a leading figure in contemporary art.
During the workshop, Claudia Contin Arlecchino will present the new edition of the Mondologo di Arlecchino, the show that, thirty-five years ago, hailed her as the new incarnation of the mask, ensuring her success in Europe, America and Asia.
Timetable
| GIORNO | ORA | LUOGO | INFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunedì 4 | ore 10 | Aula Magna dell’Accademia, Via di Ripetta 222 | Ricevimento studenti stranieri e procedure di registrazione al workshop |
| ore 11 | Prof. Alessandro Zicoschi, Responsabile Erasmus ABAROMA – indirizzo di saluto e introduzione ai lavori. M° Ezio Flammia (artista e ricercatore, Roma): “La Maschera: il vero volto dell’Uomo”. Prof. Gennaro Vallifuoco(Scenografia, ABA Napoli): “La Maschera tra origini rituali, teatro e iconografie”. Prof.ssa Beatriz Prior, ESAD Sevilla: “Habitar la máscara. El cuerpo frente al espejo”. Prof.ssa Dalma Frascarelli, ABAROMA: “La storia senza eroi: la pittura di bambocciata e la Commedia dell'Arte”. Prof. Marcello Gallucci, ABAROMA: "A dir sempre di sì…”. |
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| Martedì 5 | ore 10 - 13 | Sede di Campo Boario Largo Dino Frisullo | Avvio del workshop di Claudia Contin Arlecchino: 1) fisiognomica delle maschere, elementi di disegno e progettazione grottesca delle maschere. |
| ore 13 – 14,30 | PAUSA PRANZO | ||
| ore 14,30 – 17,30 | Workshop 2) analisi del movimento grottesco del corpo sotto maschera; principi della lavorazione del legno e del cuoio. | ||
| ore 17,30 | Campo Boario | Il caffè dell’Arte. Incontro studenti e docenti sui temi del workshop. | |
| Mercoledì 6 | ore 15 | Forum Theatre, Piazza Euclide 34 | IL MONDOLOGO DI ARLECCHINO A 35 anni dalla prima edizione, Claudia Contin Arlecchino ripropone, aggiornato, lo spettacolo che l’ha resa celebre nel mondo. |
| A SEGUIRE | Il Mondologo di Arlecchino. Presentazione del libro a cura di Marcello Gallucci |
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| Giovedì 7 | ore 10-13 | Campo Boario | Workshop 3) dimostrazione di battitura del cuoio bagnato su matrici lignee di Porto Arlecchino e finitura (incollaggi, tagli e messe a misura) su pre-lavorati in cuoio forniti da Porto Arlecchino. |
| ore 13 – 14,30 | PAUSA PRANZO | ||
| ore 14,30 – 17,30 | Workshop 4) dipintura maschere in cuoio e applicazione elastici ed accessori. | ||
| ore 17,30 | Il caffè dell’Arte | ||
| Venerdì 8 | ore 10 – 13 | Campo Boario | Workshop 4) prove pratiche delle maschere con gli allievi, elementi di uso della maschera, colpi di maschera, comportamento caratteriale delle maschere. |
| ore 13 – 14,30 | PAUSA PRANZO | ||
| ore 15 | Campo Boario | Dimostrazione di lavoro pubblica sull'uso delle Maschere a cura di Claudia Contin Arlecchino, dal manuale Gli Abitanti di Arlecchinia, musiche di Luca Fantinutti. | |
| ore 17 | Conclusioni e saluti |
Given the highly practical nature of the workshop and the need to maximise the learning process for mask-making and use, 15 students will actively participate in the craftwork stages, while the same number will be able to take part as models or for the “physical” parts of the process.
All other students will be able to register as observers.
N.B. The certificate for credits will only be issued at the end of the workshop, subject to participation on all days. Partial attendance will not be taken into account.